Each category winner in the recent regional awards made a short video about themselves and their sustainability initiatives. The five finalists were chosen from these based on which businesses were implementing interesting sustainability practices over and above their competitors.

In the SBN's 2012 regional awards, Stone Arrow Jewellery from Golden Bay won the Central & Southern Award for Small Business (Emerging); Sharp Tudhope Lawyers from Tauranga won the Bay of Plenty Medium Business (Trailblazer) Award; Kaimira Estate Wines from Nelson took out both the Central & Southern Small Business (Trailblazer) and Supreme Winner Awards; Raw Essentials from Auckland won the Northern Award for Small Business (Emerging); and Kokako from Auckland won the Northern Small Business (Trailblazer) Award.T

The winner of the Vodafone People's Choice Award will be announced along with the winners of other national awards at the NZI National SBN Awards night at The Cloud, Queen's Wharf on November 22.

The awards, which are now in their ninth year, recognise leaders in social innovation and businesses that are championing sustainability and new sustainable market solutions.